Guild Wars 2

I just built a new rig, and am experiencing a weird fps issue.
What else is new right? Also, yes, I know this game is horrendously unoptimized:

• CPU: AMD FX 8350
• Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB SSD / WD 1TB HD
• RAM: 8GB DDR3 240-pin G.Skill Ripsaw
• Motherboard: MSI 990FXA-GD65
• PSU: Corsair CX750
• GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 760

Ok, so let me explain what’s happening. When I load up the client, it does one of two things:

• It works perfectly fine. Sitting at a smooth 50fps with my graphics on auto-detect settings. Reflections and shadows are on and it works amazingly, even around zergs (dropping to around 25-30 fps, but it’s still smooth, and doesn’t stutter).

OR

• It works like absolute hell. If I am standing still and looking in a direction that doesn’t have much going on, I will hit a max of 30 fps. That I can live with. However, when I move my camera, the client becomes laggy, and my fps drops to around 2-8. It’s completely unplayable. When I turn my graphic settings down to best performance, I do gain frames as expected. The camera still remains laggy, and drops me down below 10 fps upon movement.

Now there is no rhyme or reason, that I can see, for this to happen. It’s really a crapshoot each time I start-up the game. Sometimes it works as intended, but mostly it doesn’t.

I’m 100% sure the problem is with my new GPU. Previous to its installation, I was using my old GPU (Nvidia Geforce 9600 GT) with the current rig. By today’s standards, it’s ancient. However, I wasn’t experiencing the lag that I am now when using it.

I run the client with a fresh restart, and no processes in the background.

Can anyone share any advice? I really want to keep playing this game, but it’s getting to the point where I simply can’t anymore.

locx.6412:

Yep, there’s your culprit.

If driver installation doesn’t help, open your case and see that it’s actually in a 16x slot (I think it is, GPU-Z wouldn’t be showing 16x otherwise). Just take the card out and the power cord as well, kind of reset the card, and put it back the way it was.

The fact that it’s running correct core speed and only changing link speed (and never reaching 16) makes me think it’s a driver issue, but that could solve it too. If the issue persists, let’s talk some more.

Yea thats a complete driver issue.

OP you need to uninstall all Graphic driver software, I really hope you did not leave the old nvidia drivers installed on top of the AMD ones.

Then reboot into safe mode and run a driver cleaner applications, then reboot into normal mode to actually install your drivers.

since it links at 4x means your HW is ok, just that something is preventing it from running at full PCI-E link speeds.

UNLESS you have the card in the wrong slot on your MB< or if you have more then 1 PCI-E Card installed on your system and you are running in Split mode.

Most systems have a single 16x PIC-E lane. 1 card runs at 16x, 2 cards run at 8x and 8x, 3 cards run at 8x 4x and 4×....ect

Does it get fixed if you restart the game without restarting your whole system?

Download programs called GPU-Z, CPU-Z and Core Temp or Real Temp (your choice). Run them while you play. Write up the following info:
GPU Load in GPU-Z,
GPU Core Clock in GPU-Z
GPU Temperature in GPU-Z
Bus Interface in GPU-Z or Link Width in CPU-Z (same thing),
Core Speed/Frequency in CPU-Z or chosen Temp
temperatures or your cores in the chosen Temp

Do that in both of the situations where your system is fine and where it isn’t. See where the difference is and report back.

Also, have you simply tried reinstalling the graphic drivers?

Thanks for the response. I will get that information up as soon as I can. It might take me a little while to get both results up.

No, I have not tried to reinstall my drivers yet. I haven’t only because I’m not suffering any issues with other applications. I will try that though.

When I have results I will post them to the OP.

Kinda sounds like your PCI-E Link speed gets stuck at 1x, or your GPU goes into Perm Sleep Mode.

using the tools posted above, verify the PCI-E link speed on CPU-Z’s Mainboard tab, and your GPU’s Core clock on GPU-Z Sensors tab. Both while the game is running and while your having issues.

Sounds more like a pcie issue, but it could be something with the card bios not syncing with windows power settings. Try reinstalling drivers and set windows power settings to high.

install precisionx could help as well, sometimes nvidia’s gpu boost tech is laggy/buggy and doesn’t increase the clock rates. and overclocking tools tend to help in that regard.

Also as you updated the gpu, delete your local.dat and do a -repair on gw2. sometimes the cached info there is out of date and causes issues.

@locx.6412 I forgot to answer your first question. Yes, the problem persists even when I restart the client without restarting the system.

Here are my stats:

When it’s working

• GPU Load: 0%
• GPU Core Clock: 1071.3 MHz
• GPU Temperature: 37.0° C
• Bus Interface: PCI-E 2.0 × 16 @ x4 2.0
• Core Speed/Frequency: GPU 1071 MHz / CPU 4099.78 MHz
• CPU Core Temperature: 36° C

When it’s not

• GPU Load: 0%
• GPU Core Clock: 1071.3 MHz
• GPU Temperature: 40.0° C
• Bus Interface: PCI-E 2.0 × 16 @ x1 2.0
• Core Speed/Frequency: GPU 1071 MHz / CPU 4099.78 MHz
• CPU Core Temperature: 38° C

The only difference seems to be my bus interface, which reading your responses seems to be the culprit. I have had my power settings to max this whole time. Should I go ahead and re-install my GPU drivers? What should my next plan of attack be?

Thanks!

Yep, there’s your culprit.

If driver installation doesn’t help, open your case and see that it’s actually in a 16x slot (I think it is, GPU-Z wouldn’t be showing 16x otherwise). Just take the card out and the power cord as well, kind of reset the card, and put it back the way it was.

The fact that it’s running correct core speed and only changing link speed (and never reaching 16) makes me think it’s a driver issue, but that could solve it too. If the issue persists, let’s talk some more.

It worked!

Guys, thanks so much for your help. I would have never figured that out. You’re the best!

Sweet, good to hear! Happy gaming!